UW-Madison's School of Business undergraduate and graduate accounting programs were ranked among the top 10 programs nationwide, University Communications announced Wednesday.
The Public Accounting Report, the ""Independent Newsletter of the Accounting Profession since 1978,"" according to its website, boosted UW-Madison's undergraduate accounting program from No. 13 last year to No. 10 for 2006.
After being ranked 19th last year, the School's graduate accounting program moved up 10 spots to secure the No. 9 ranking this year.
The rankings are based on a ""reputational survey sent to accounting professors, department heads and department chairs, who were asked to identify programs they felt most consistently turn out students capable of someday attaining partner status,"" according to a University Communications statement.
""Having both our undergraduate and graduate accounting programs ranked in the top 10 by Public Accounting Report is gratifying and will help us spread the word of the caliber of education offered here,"" said Michael Knetter, dean of the UW-Madison School of Business, in the statement. ""As with all our program rankings, we remain focused on the fundamentals: recruiting the best students, delivering a superior experience and providing outstanding career opportunities.""
Chair of the School of Business' Department of Accounting and Information Systems Jon Davis said excellent student work and strong faculty members shape the programs' high quality curricula and subsequent positive rankings.
""It's a long-deserved ranking,"" Davis said. ""The students we get—the students are great, and I think that's really what drives it.""
Davis also noted the School has been in the news more every year and its recent high rankings from other organizations have helped to get the word out about the School of Business.
""That's what really counts for the big jump in the rankings,"" Davis said.
The School of Business most recently bestowed honors on two of its alumni, whom the School named top investors.
